When I first got married, I had a gym membership that I took advantage of between four and five times per week.
I looked forward to spending a couple hours at the gym.
Having access to such a wide range of equipment was wonderful. I switched between the treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine, stationary bike and stairmaster. I enjoyed lifting weights and utilizing the various weight-lifting machines. Once my kids were born, heading to the gym was no longer convenient. I couldn’t spare the twenty minute drive each way. I certainly didn’t want to hire a babysitter and by the time my husband got home from work, it was time to eat dinner. I gave up the gym membership and started running in the evenings. I found that I gained stamina very quickly and steadily increased my pace and distance. I got where I was running for six to eight miles every day. Unfortunately, I wore very cheap sneakers that weren’t designed for running. The lack of support took a huge toll on my feet, and I developed plantar fasciitis. Every step felt as if the bottom of my foot was ripping open. I was forced to quit running entirely. I could barely walk. I did some research and learned that I needed to rest my feet, ice them and take ibuprofen to alleviate the pain. I also bought myself a quality pair of running shoes with arch support. I slowly started going for walks. I’ve now worked myself back up to running again. However, I make sure to only run a couple of times per week. I mix it up with riding my bike, yoga and jumping on the trampoline with the kids.